Have you
considered the spiritual health of your church in these days of
tolerance and compromise? Is the leadership earnestly contending for the
faith against the current wave of ecumenism? A. W. Tozer used the
illustration of circulating blood to describe the health of a church.
"The red corpuscles are like faith - they carry the life giving oxygen
to every part of the body. The white cells are like discernment - they
pounce upon dead and toxic matter and carry it out to the drain. In a
healthy heart there must be provision for keeping dead and poisonous
matter out of the life stream."

Using
Tozer's analogy, churches that are dead or dying are the churches that
no longer have the ability or the desire to discern truth from error. If
they cannot identify toxic doctrinal error, the poison can never be
removed from the body. And if it is not removed it will continue to
circulate, bringing confusion to believers and false hope to "seekers."

The Emerging Church
Based on the reports we hear from our subscribers all over the world,
there are many churches on the edge of apostasy. Many are subscribing to
the latest post-modern fad called "the emerging church" which attempts
to reach the emerging generation with a new way of "doing church." If
you key "emerging church" in your favorite search engine, you will see
numerous entries declaring that worship should now be a mystical and
holistic experience using images, candles, stained glass windows and
even darkness to enhance spirituality. One of the leaders of the
movement is Brian McLaren, pastor and author of the controversial and
award winning book, A New Kind of Christian. The book expressly
argues that the Bible should not be regarded as infallible or
authoritative. McLaren seeks unity between Catholics and Evangelicals
and applauds Chuck Colson for leading this unbiblical movement.

The
emerging church places more importance on mystical and sensual worship
experiences that unite rather than essential biblical doctrines
that divide. Churches that move from a Word-driven message to
an image-driven message only contribute to the "dumbing down" of
professing Christians. Few will be able to discern the difference
between the true Gospel and a counterfeit gospel. The end result will be
unsanctified churches which tolerate, embrace and encourage unbelievers
instead of edifying and equipping a new generation of believers.

Emerging But Not Discerning
Irving Bible Church, located between Dallas and Ft. Worth has emerged
into a church without discernment. The pastor, Andy McQuitty, has
publicly stated that both John Paul II and Mother Teresa are most
assuredly in heaven. In the May issue of the church's monthly magazine
Chatter, he featured a 11 " by 14" picture of these two
influential Catholics who deceived the world with another gospel.
McQuitty called the differences between Catholics and Protestants
"theological pettiness." He said, "it is just plain silly to write each
other off as far as true Christianity is concerned. We'll have plenty of
time in Heaven to figure out who was right about Purgatory and Mary."
McQuitty can't see why both faiths can't cooperate "in building the
Kingdom of our common Lord Jesus Christ." He described John Paul as "a
Man of God, not a man of this world, who became popular by testifying to
the unpopular truths of Jesus Christ." According to McQuitty, the pope
was "a great man whom all Christians should admire, thank and emulate."
Finally he wrote, "I confess as a protestant pastor that my spiritual
life and faith has been enriched by this Catholic pope who taught me
that being a hero isn't about success or power."

Evidently
Irving Bible Church (IBC) has a few discerning souls who prompted
McQuitty to send out this public e-mail. "A few of you have raised
concerns, most of which can be boiled down to this question: 'Is IBC
becoming Roman Catholic?' To which the answer is, 'No way, Jose."' He
wrote: "I understand where the question comes from, though. The
introduction at IBC of certain elements such as candles and liturgies
and communion wafers and the reference to communion as the "Eucharist",
combined with the recent death of Pope John Paul II and the attendant
recognition that his life received here, has caused some (particularly
those who were raised Catholic and had a less than happy experience) to
bristle."

McQuitty
sounds like many Catholics who think we left the Roman Catholic Church
because we "had a less than happy experience." No, we left when our
Sovereign Lord opened our eyes to see the true Gospel as He revealed it
in His supremely authoritative Word. As with other born-again former
Catholics, we all left because we could no longer stay in a false
religion that deceives its people on life's most critical issue - "What
must I do to be saved?" We all left in obedience to God's word, to
worship Him in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24). If we were a member of
Irving Bible Church, we would have to leave that church as well because
the pastor has demonstrated no discernment and an unwillingness to be
corrected by Scripture. A pastor without spiritual discernment cannot
protect his congregation from Satan's continuous attacks on the Gospel
of Jesus Christ.

Some will
say that I am being judgmental and that I have no right to do so. But
how can Christians contend earnestly for the faith unless they make
judgments on what "the faith" is? How can Christians defend and proclaim
the Gospel without discerning what "the Gospel" is? We see a biblical
example of one brother judging another when Paul publicly corrected
Peter who was not being "straightforward about the truth of the Gospel"
(Gal. 2:11-14). A. W. Tozer said: "Among the gifts of the Spirit,
scarcely is one of greater practical usefulness than the gift of
discernment. This gift should be highly valued and frankly sought as
being almost indispensable in these critical times. This gift will
enable us to distinguish the chaff from the wheat and to divide the
manifestations of the flesh from the operations of the Spirit."

Christians Are Exhorted To Judge
Many Christians are unaware of their responsibility to judge and test
all things. Paul exhorted: "I pray that your love may abound still more
and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve
the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless
until the day of Christ" (Phil. 1:9-10). Christians need to take
discernment and judgment seriously in this life because of the great
responsibility that awaits us in the future. Paul reminds us: "Do you
not know that the saints will judge the world? Do you not know that we
shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?" (I Cor.
6:2-3). Paul even commended the Bereans for rightfully judging his
teaching. "They received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). The
apostle John warned and exhorted Christians: "Beloved, do not believe
every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1).
Clearly, all Christians are called to judge righteously by using the
Word of God as the plumb line for discerning truth from error.

Discernment Is A Discipline
New babes in Christ must discipline themselves to go beyond the "milk"
of the Gospel and begin chewing on "solid food" by studying the whole
counsel of God. "For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in
the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to
those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have
their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Heb. 5:13-14).
Spiritual discernment is a discipline and a privilege that only
Christians can exercise. Paul wrote: "But the natural man does not
receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to
him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But
he who is spiritual judges all things." (1 Cor. 2:14-16).

How Are We To Judge?
John wrote: "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with
righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Jesus said: "For in the way you judge,
you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured
to you" (Mat. 7:1-5). The instruction Jesus gives for judging others is
to make sure you are not guilty of the same error or sin! Paul echoed
these words when he wrote: "Do you suppose this, O man, when you pass
judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Rom. 2:3). When we judge, we
must judge righteously and with pure hearts!

The Goal of Discernment
As we practice the gift of discernment let us question our motives. Is
our objective to be obedient to God's word for the purpose of helping,
healing, correcting, warning and sharing in the spirit of love? Does our
discernment lead people towards truth and righteous living? Are we
concerned for the purity of the body of Christ? Have we come to
acknowledge that when the gift of discernment is not exercised, the
church cannot be purged of error and sin and the name of Jesus Christ
cannot be fully glorified and honored as the Holy Head of His Body, the
Church.

The
critical issue in the Church today is the purity of the Gospel. That
alone is the rudder that must guide the Church through stormy waters
that have been stirred up by every wind of doctrine. Take away the
ability to discern objective truth and churches turn into cafeterias
serving whatever junk food people want instead of the disciplined diet
they need for spiritual life and health. Without a steady diet
of the whole counsel of God, churches become entertainment centers for
goats instead of sanctuaries for the Shepherd's sheep (Mat. 25:32).
Unregenerate people, who are never exhorted to examine their faith, will
continue attending church to enjoy the music, entertainment and "feel
good" messages. Unless these people are confronted with their sin, their
need for a Savior and the eternal consequences of a spurious faith, they
are destined to hear these terrifying words from Jesus: "'I never knew
you; depart from Me" (Mat. 7:23).
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